Compensation FAQs

3/26/2019

Compensation FAQs

Why do I owe another team compensation?

You drafted a player who was on that team in real life. That team will be without the services of a player they were “supposed” to have. You need to provide them a replacement.

I compensated someone for this player last year. Why do I have to do it again?

The player changed teams in real life. Last year you had to compensate the team he played for in real life that year, this year you have to compensate the team he played for in real life this year. You'll have to do it every time he changed PCL teams in real life.

Do I have to compensate anyone if a player I slotted went to a team in another minor league?

Nope. Unless he went to a PCL team later.

Can I use a Type-B or Type-C free agent as compensation?

No. Free agents aren't yours to give away. They're not yours until you sign them, and you can't sign them until the draft. Compensation occurs before the draft. It has to be someone on your real-life team.

What about a Buddy or a Freebie?

Nope, someone from your real-life team.

Can I use “just anyone” who was on my real life team as compensation?

No. You're supposed to use a guy who can fill the same role for that team as the guy you slotted. If the guy you slotted played shortstop for the other team, you can't send him an outfielder. If the guy had 650 PA that year in real life, you can't send him someone who had only 135. It needs to be a real replacement. You are allowed to overcompensate; you can send a guy who had 500 PA to compensate for a guy who had 250. You just can't under compensate. The PA’s or IP don't have to be an exact match; they should be close (unless you are overcompensating).

Why all these restrictions? What difference does it make who I use as compensation, or when I compensate them?

You’ve taken away a player who another PCL team was probably counting on getting. They deserve to get a player from your team to fill the role that player played for their team in real life. They deserve to know, prior to using up any more of their picks in the draft, who that player will be.

Okay, but why does it have to be someone that was on my team in real life?

Because I like to promote the use of PCL players in this league. If you've slotted someone else’s starting third baseman, that probably means you’re not planning on using the guy who started at third base for you in real life very much. If you have to give him to the other team as compensation, maybe they’ll use him.

Someone slotted a really good player from my team, and “compensated” me with someone who isn't nearly as good. How is that fair?

It's not about fairness, it’s about filling the hole they have created. If the player they gave you can be said to have played the same role (same position, similar number of at-bats—or in the case of pitchers, similar innings pitched), then he is a legitimate replacement. You should expect this to occur every time you are compensated. People aren’t going to slot a player if they have to give one up who’s just as good. They’re only going to slot a player who’s better than the player they have to give up.

Someone’s trying to compensate me with a real stiff. If I don’t want the guy, do I have to take him?

No, you can release him. But the other team’s obligation to compensate you has been fulfilled.

What if I owe compensation, and I don’t actually have a guy who was on my real-life team who fills the requirements of compensation? Do I have to give the guy I slotted back to the team he played for in real life?

Unless you and that team are able to work out a different deal, yes. You are allowed to offer the other team an alternative deal; they are not required to accept it. Several times teams have been able to work out non-standard compensation deals in this league.

What if a team slots one of my guys and then releases him a year or two down the line? Do I just get him back?

No; you’ve already been compensated for him. However, if he’s still under the same contract (i.e., it’s a year when he was still on your team in real life), you don’t need a slot to re-acquire him, whereas having been slotted once, he would require a slot if any other team in the league wanted to pick him up.

Any advice on how to make the most of the Minor League Star slots and the compensation rule?

Sure.

  1. Using a Minor League Star slot on a player who went to another minor league, and never came back to the PCL is your best deal. You’ll never owe compensation for that guy.
  2. Using the slot on a guy who only changed PCL teams once or twice, or who stayed in another minor league for a real long time before coming back to the PCL isn't a bad choice either. Using it on a guy who changed PCL teams a lot in real life (as many players did) usually isn’t your best bet, but it may work out for you for awhile.
  3. Not releasing players who played on your real-life team will usually give you more options for compensation than if you tend to get rid of those guys in favor of Freebies or other free agents. This is especially true of pitchers, and especially pitchers who started for your real life-team for several years. A guy like that should be kept around for his potential as compensation, even if he isn’t very good. Especially if he isn't very good. You might let him pitch once in awhile, too. Maybe he’s not as bad as you think.

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